Dry
by GuessIt
Summary: Leo still ignores Chris and Piper is fed up with it. When Leo finds his sons drawings on top of the Golden Gate Bridge will he understand? Songfic changed future My favorite song...just felt right writing it to this song...


Author Note…

Wyatt just turned fifteen, Chris is thirteen and Melinda is ten about to turn eleven.

Changed Future, Leo becomes an Elder again because of something that happened between the last episode and this thing.

Hope you like it

_We don't even talk anymore_

Leo sat at the head of the dinner table staring at his wife who sat directly opposite. He didn't know what he was eating. He was just picking his food and placing it in his mouth. He thought of the last time he had properly talked to his wife about something that didn't involve the kids or magic.

_And we don't even know what we argue about_

Christopher and Melinda sat to the left of him and Wyatt sat to his right. They all ate dinner in silence in the aftermath of an argument. No one knew how the argument started but it did. Leo had an idea it was about his youngest son but it developed into something more._  
Don't even say I love you no more_

God when was the last time he said 'I love you'? When was the last time he held Piper in his arms to show affection instead of protection? How come they never spent time together like they used to. Yes he was an Elder now but he still spent time with his family. He was at every one of Wyatt's birthdays. He helped Melinda with her homework every night. He spent time with Chris…doing…things. Well he didn't always spend time with Chris but things got in the way. How could he divide his time between, Piper, Wyatt, Mel, the world and Chris? That's off the point…How does he find time to say I love you?_  
Cause saying how we feel is no longer allowed_

Piper looked up from her mash potatoes and stared at the younger male Halliwell. "Chris could you pass the peas?" Piper watched Mel ask Chris. She knew as well as Piper did what Chris was feeling. Hurt, betrayed, damaged and wounded. She was an empath. She knew that her Daddy, Leo had done it again. Somehow he had managed to disappoint Chris and made it seem like his fault.

Piper couldn't hold it in anymore. "You couldn't have just…" she started but she saw Chris look at her with pleading eyes. She knew what those eyes meant. **Please just stop Mom. Don't ruin it. Don't make me feel worse. Just stay silent.** Leo, Wyatt and Mel sat on the edges of their seats waiting for a reaction from Piper. "You couldn't have just finished your work Wyatt. I'm sure you have more."_  
Some people will work things out_

Piper started to pack away everything with the help of Chris. Mel went over and grabbed Leo's hand. "Come on Dad I have something to show you."

Chris watched curiously as Mel and Leo interacted. He hugged her, smiled at her and made her feel happy. Why couldn't Chris have that? He had figured out by now his Dad had some kind of issue with Chris but he never voiced it. Always made it hard for Chris to get close to him.

Piper took the plates off of Chris so he could watch Father and Daughter play. "Dad look at this." Mel reached across the table and grabbed a sketch book. She handed over to her Dad. Leo flipped through them then looked down at Mel with amazement in his eyes.

"Honey did you draw these?" Leo asked.

Mel shook her head furiously. "I can't draw at all." she pointed over to Chris who was leaning against the doorway. "He on the other hand, can."

_And some just don't know how to change  
_Chris edged slowly up to Leo who was still flipping through his sketch book. "These are really good Chris." Leo said to his son as he closed the book. "Why didn't you tell me you could draw?"

Chris shrugged. "Every time I tried to show you, you were busy so I just gave up."

"Oh." Leo looked awkwardly between Mel and Chris. "So hows school?"

"It's good." Chris answered. Hope built up in his heart. Maybe his Dad was trying to talk to him.

"I was talking to Melinda." Leo looked back at his youngest and smiled ignorantly.

Piper who was watching from the Conservatory saw a single tear being quickly brushed away by Chris.

_Let's not wait till the water runs dry_

Piper smiled at Melinda and ruffled Chris' hair. "Hey Leo can you come upstairs with me? I need some help with the boxes?" Piper had to finish this problem now._  
We might watch our whole lives pass us by_

Leo followed the very angry Piper upstairs to the attic. "Orb us to somewhere private now!" she demanded.

"What about the kids?" Leo asked.

"Don't start worrying about them now." Piper spat.

"I always worry about them!" Leo shouted.

Piper's eyes narrowed. "Take my hand and orb us somewhere where the kids can't hear us!"_  
Let's not wait till the water runs dry_

"He is not going to love you forever." Piper stated as they got on top of the Golden Gate Bridge.

"Who?" Leo asked shocked.

"Chris. Your son. You can't keep ignoring him!" Piper screamed her voice being carried by the wind.

"Not this again." Leo moaned and leaned against one of the walls.

"Yes Leo, this again, because you haven't gotten it through that thick Elder skull of yours that Chris needs you." Piper shouted desperately.

"Well that's just it isn't it Piper." Leo shouted back. "I am an Elder and I am helping to protect the world from evil!"

"I AM A FREAKING CHARMED ONE!" There was a fire in Piper's eyes. "I STILL HAVE TIME FOR ALL THREE OF MY CHILDREN! NOT JUST TWO!"

Leo shook his head. "Piper calm down. I'm doing well as an Elder. Great actually. I can't be everywhere at once."

"You're acting as if you don't have the faintest idea of what Chris's feeling! You saw him from the future. You actually felt him punch your face!"

Leo fell silent._  
We'll make the biggest mistake of our lives_

Piper lifted a hand to her head and rubbed her temples. "Leo, I love you. I really do. However every time you come here you make Chris cry. You come for every one of Wyatt's birthdays, basketball games and whatever other activity he has. Every time Mel has a concert or performance you are there Leo. Chris, he has so many concerts through out the year. He plays any instrument he can lay his hands on. I admit I haven't been to every one of them because he has so many and unfortunately we can't afford all the tickets. All the main ones though, the ones that really matter to him, I go to. Have you been to one of them?" Piper looked at Leo who went silent._  
Don't do it baby_

"Like I said Piper." Leo spoke after five long silent minutes. "I can't be everywhere at once."

"Well then don't worry about being with me." Piper's eyes filled with tears.

"What do you mean?" Leo asked.

"Pick Leo," Piper stated. "You have a week to prove you can be there for Chris. He has a concert next Tuesday. He also has Father-Son day this Saturday. I don't want Coop taking him again."_  
_Leo shook his head slightly. "The only reason why I ignored him today was because it was Wyatt's birthday. On his birthday I'll hand out with him all day. Promise."

Piper returned his shook her head as well. "No, no, no Leo! You aren't there for his Birthday. You never make it. There are a whole lot of sorry letters in his top draw for proof. Now this week, is your last chance to see your family if you chose to keep ignoring Chris. After that I want you out." Piper closed her eyes as she heard the faint tinkling of orbs. She didn't know how she was going to get home but it was okay. She just slid down the wall and cried.

_Now they can see the tears in our eyes_

Chris sat up in bed with pencil and paper in his hand. He was deep in concentration. He was drawing almost violently. The pencil rushing up and down the page. Tears sprung into Chris' eyes but he ignored them. He kept drawing. He heard a faint jingle at the back of his head but ignored it. He stuck his tongue out of his mouth slightly and bit down. He had no idea he was bleeding. Along with the fresh wound in his tongue Chris had scratches down his arms and legs from where he had been vigorously scratching with his long unforgiving fingernails. He knew he should cut them soon but he had no time. The jingle noise came back. It was louder and more intruding. He knew he couldn't ignore it any longer.

"What?" he shouted as he orbed. He was shocked to find himself at the top of the Golden Gate Bridge with his mother sitting there crying. "Mom?" he went and sat next to his mother. "Mom what's wrong?"_  
But we deny the pain that lies deep in our hearts_

Piper cried and cried into her sons shoulder. She didn't know why she had called him exactly. She should've called Paige. However it felt right. "Come here baby." she whispered as she pulled Chris into a tight hug. Chris dropped whatever he was holding and wrapped his arms tightly around Piper.

"What happened Mom?" Chris asked.

"Don't worry Honey. Just stay with me, will you?" Piper felt Chris sit next to her and place his head on her shoulder. Piper returned the gesture by placing her head on his head.

"It's okay Mom." Chris said sadly. "I'm use to it."_  
Well maybe that's a pain we can't hide_

Piper wiped her eyes. "Use to what sweetie?"

Chris laughed a little. "You know perfectly well what young lady." he mimicked his Moms voice. Piper chuckled slightly then thought of the seriousness of the situation.

"I know Peanut but you shouldn't be use to it. You shouldn't have to be used to it. Your Dad loves you but he can't express it for some reason." Piper grabbed Chris' leg and rubbed it. "But you know you got me right?"

Chris nodded. "That's all I'll ever need Mom."

Fresh tears sprung into Piper's brown humble eyes._  
Cause everybody knows that we're both torn apart_

Piper fell asleep and Chris wrapped his arms around her and orbed them home. He orbed his Mom onto her bed and grabbed a blanket to wrap her in. It was weird being the parent. Chris went into the bathroom washed his face rubbing the tear marks away. He opened the bathroom cabinet and found exactly what he was looking for. It was a small bottle of prescription medicine. It relieved migraines. For Chris it relieved a hell of a lot more.

Wyatt stood at the bathroom door his little brother not aware he was just staring at him. Mel crept up behind Wyatt and paced a hand on his back. Wyatt looked down at Mel and put his fingers to his lips. Mel nodded and watched Chris consider the pills.

He opened the bottle and placed him in his hand. He lifted his hands to his mouth and the pill disappeared. Not into his mouth. He didn't know where they went.

He heard a slight giggle from behind him and Wyatt and Mel were standing there. Wyatt was holding the pills in his hands. "You got an awful big headache little brother."_  
Why do we hurt each other?_

Chris narrowed his eyes. "Wyatt give them back."

Wyatt shook his head. "What's wrong?"

"Chris why are you so upset?" Mel went over to her brother and wrapped her arms around his middle.

Chris rested his head on Melinda's head and Wyatt joined in on the hug. "I want a Dad." His voice was muffled but both Mel and Wyatt heard Chris' plea.

Leo orbed back to the Golden Gate Bridge expecting his wife to be there. However all he found was a sketch book. (A/N Don't ask me how nothing flies off the bridge because it magic) He recognised it as Chris'. Piper must've called her youngest son. He sensed for them and felt Piper in bed and Chris in the bathroom with Melinda and Wyatt. That was weird._  
Why do we push love away?_

He was about to orb back to the manor. He kneeled down and picked up the sketch book. He then noticed the picture Chris had drawn. It was an exact likeliness of the Conservatory of the Manor. In the picture Leo was hugging Piper. Mel and Wyatt were at his side holding onto him and Leo looked happy. Leo smiled at his sons' picture. However, where was Chris? Leo studied the picture a bit more and saw Chris had drew himself in a dark corner. There was a tear falling down Chris' face._  
Let's not wait till the water runs dry_

Leo flicked through the A3 sketch book and saw many sketches. A lot of them were just random pictures however there were some which Leo knew were about him. There was one which was drawn from Chris' eyes. It was on stage and the light was concentrated on one empty seat.

Another one, the page had been split into four. In the top corner it was a picture of Wyatt's birthday and Leo was standing there with a smile on his face. In the corner was Melinda's birthday Leo still had the same smile. In the bottom left corner it was a drawing of Chris' birthday. Leo wasn't there. Instead where he had been standing in all the other pictures there was cut out line in the shape of his body. In the fourth corner there was a picture of Pipers holding onto Chris for dear life.

There was a picture from Chris' point of view again. He was looking at himself in the mirror crying. The mirror was broken and Chris had drawn his hand with covered in blood._  
We might watch our whole lives pass us by_

Yes, Leo knew these pictures affected him but not as much as much as the one he had just found. Leo knew this one was based on Chris' memory. He never thought his son would remember his other life but it was obvious he had. It was a picture of Chris lying in Pipers' bed. Much older than his current age. Chris' body was limp in Leo's arms and Leo was crying. Every detail in the picture indicated Chris remembered that day. Seriously? How could Chris know what his past self was wearing as well as the pattern on the sheets if he hadn't been there?

Leo wiped the tears furiously. He remembered his promise to Future Chris. He remembered he told him things would be different this time around. He had promised. He thought of every other promise he had broken to Chris. Both Chris'._  
Let's not wait till the water runs dry_

Leo orbed into Chris and Melinda's room and looked around. No one was there. He looked into Wyatt's room and still he found no one. He then looked into his own room, which he shared with Piper and found Wyatt, Chris and Mel sleeping next to their mother.

Mel's head and hand were resting Chris' chest. One of Wyatt's hands was laying across Chris and sitting on Melinda's side. His other hand was holding onto his mothers. Piper's head was resting on Wyatt's and her hand was sitting on Chris' stomach. Melinda, Chris and Piper's brunette hair blended together and Leo had no idea who the hair belonged to. Someway they were all touching. They were all sleeping.

Except for Chris who's large green eyes shone in the darkness. Leo watched his son until Chris felt someone else present. Chris saw his father at the door. Leo lifted a hand and beckoned Chris towards him. Chris slowly pushed everyone off of him slowly as not to wake them up. He moved Melinda next to Wyatt so she wouldn't feel that she was alone and walked over to his Dad.

"What's wrong?" Chris said as he closed the door softly._  
We'll make the biggest mistake of our lives_

Leo led Chris up to the attic. Chris was slightly scared. This was the most time Leo had ever spent with Chris alone it had only been about two minutes. He wrapped his arms around his middle and thought of the medicine cabinet. Chris watched his Dad fumble through one of the boxes in the attic. He then pulled out a bunch of photographs.

"Dad it's the middle of the night. Can't we reminisce later?" Chris rubbed his eyes slightly and yawned.

"If your Mom ever found out I was showing this to you I'd be dead." Leo said truthfully. "We weren't going to tell you until your twenty-third birthday. Because then you and him would be the same age and we had a feeling you would remember everything. However, judging by your drawings you already remember a lot."

Chris looked confused. "What are you talking about? Who is him?"

Leo sat on the couch and patted the seat next to him. Chris went and sat next to Leo. "Him is actually you." Leo handed over the photos. Chris looked through them. It was photos of a him, a lot older holding Wyatt who was heaps younger. Like baby younger. Chris looked at them in disbelief. There was a couple of him with his Mom and Aunts. "How…?" Chris started but it was a dumb question. He was a witch after all.

"This Chris," Leo pointed to the man in the photo, "Came from the future to protect your Aunt Paige from dying. That was a lie but we didn't know it at the time. He then told us he was there to save Wyatt from some great evil. Also a lie. He told us he was a full whitelighter. We got him to confess later to tell us he was a half-whitelighter. So his original statement became a lie. He also said he wasn't going to lie anymore. Well obviously you can tell, that was a lie." Leo smiled as he looked at the photos.

Chris couldn't help but laugh a little. "So why did he come back?"

Leo's face hardened. "To save Wyatt from turning evil." Chris looked shocked. Leo smiled. "He did his job. However, he lost his life in the progress. He died in my arms." he looked down at photo.

Chris looked at the older version of himself. In some of them he looked genuinely happy. In others Chris knew he was faking. "There was a lot of hurt in his eyes." Chris muttered.

Leo nodded. "A lot of which was caused by your brother. A lot which was caused by me."

Chris looked up at his Dad. "What did you do?"

Leo puffed. "Same thing I've been doing to you. Ignoring you. I don't know why I did it in his timeline. He said it was because I didn't love him. I however do know why I am doing it in this timeline." Leo looked down at Chris who had tears in his eyes. "I think I'm looking at you as if you are that Chris. I try to forget about him because I treated him so badly in the beginning. However, by the end, we were close. Then he died."

Chris frowned. "So you're ignoring me because you miss me?"

Leo laughed again. "I guess so. But today made me remember something. I made a promise to him not to treat you the same way I treated him originally. However, unknowingly, I have."

Chris raised his eyebrows. "Unknowingly?"

Leo nodded. "Unknowingly."

_Don't do it baby_

Piper woke up and looked at her children smiling. She stood up and headed to the bathroom. "Unknowingly." She heard a voice from upstairs in the attic. She crept up the stairs and peeked in.

Chris was sitting next to Leo looking through photos. Piper smiled as Leo pointed things out. "I remember that." Chris muttered at one of them. Piper knocked on the door slightly. Leo and Chris looked up and Chris grinned at his Mom. "I'm talking to Dad."

"I can see that." Piper raised her eyebrows. "Did you tell your Dad what's happening this Saturday?"

Chris looked at Piper the looked back up to Leo. "Dad I think you can keep your promise to Chris… I mean me, after all."

Piper looked at little shocked that Chris knew about his other life but knew it would happen someday.

"How buddy?" Leo asked.

"Come with me to Father-Son day." Chris waited for an answer.

Piper waited as well watching her husband praying he did the right thing. "What time is it?" Leo smiled.

Chris shot a toothy grin back. "It starts at ten."

Piper winked at Leo. "Come on mister." Piper stuck her hand out and Chris stood up and grabbed it. "You too." Piper watched Leo put down the photos and follow her out of the room. They rejoined Mel and Wyatt who were sound asleep as if nothing had happened.

As Piper watched her children sleeping Leo smiled at Piper. "I didn't wait until the water ran dry."

"Thank you." she whispered.


End file.
